TL;DR
Scratchapixel publishes a free, beginner-oriented collection of computer graphics lessons, a blog, a Vulkan-focused course project, and an in-progress book. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on results first, then introduces underlying theory and supporting mathematics.
What happened
Scratchapixel has consolidated a wide-ranging, no-cost learning resource for 3D computer graphics. The site includes a blog section called "For Angry Nerds," a set of structured lessons grouped under headings such as The Foundations of 3D Rendering, Mathematics for Computer Graphics, Computer Graphics Gems, and Tooling, and a newly announced course effort aimed at learning the Vulkan API. A book project titled "Take Scratchapixel to the Beach" is in development to provide a physical reference. The Foundations strand walks learners step-by-step from simple image rendering and camera models through rasterization, ray tracing, shading, texturing and acceleration structures. The mathematics section serves as a reference for geometry, interpolation, Monte Carlo methods and other numerical tools. Other material covers procedural generation, digital imaging, and practical tooling like OBJ format handling and camera navigation controls.
Why it matters
- Provides a free, structured path for newcomers to learn core 3D graphics concepts.
- Emphasizes practical, hands-on results before formal theory, which can help learners build intuition quickly.
- Includes both conceptual lessons and supporting mathematical reference material useful for deeper study.
- Adds a focused course effort on Vulkan and a planned physical book, expanding access formats for learners.
Key facts
- Site contains a blog section titled "For Angry Nerds" addressing 3D programming and related topics.
- A new course project is focused specifically on the Vulkan API (announced as "Learn Vulkan").
- A book project called "Take Scratchapixel to the Beach" is in development as a physical reference.
- Core lesson groups include The Foundations of 3D Rendering, Mathematics for Computer Graphics, Computer Graphics Gems, and Tooling.
- The Foundations sequence starts with practical examples and covers pixel computation, camera models, rasterization, ray tracing, shading, lighting, texturing, and acceleration structures.
- Mathematics section covers geometry, matrix inversion, interpolation, Monte Carlo methods, and Fourier transform as a reference.
- Computer Graphics Gems includes topics such as blackbody radiation, Bézier curves, digital imaging and procedural noise.
- Tooling lessons discuss windowing, the OBJ file format, and camera navigation controls.
What to watch next
- Detailed launch date, pricing and enrollment information for the Learn Vulkan course: not confirmed in the source.
- Release schedule and distribution details for the "Take Scratchapixel to the Beach" book: not confirmed in the source.
- Whether additional paid or free courses beyond Vulkan will be offered: not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Ray tracing: A rendering technique that simulates the path of light rays to produce images with reflections, refractions and shadows.
- Rasterization: The process of converting vector graphics or 3D primitives into pixels for display on a raster-based screen.
- BRDF: Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function; a model describing how light is reflected at a surface.
- Vulkan: A low-level graphics and compute API designed to offer high performance and explicit control over GPU operations.
- Acceleration structures: Data structures used to speed up spatial queries and ray-geometry intersections in rendering systems.
Reader FAQ
Is the Scratchapixel material free?
Yes — the site's headline promotes learning computer graphics "from scratch and for free."
Does Scratchapixel offer courses?
Yes. The source highlights a new project centered on a Vulkan-focused course called "Learn Vulkan."
Is there a physical book available?
A book project titled "Take Scratchapixel to the Beach" is in progress, but publication details are not provided.
Are the lessons suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Foundations lessons are presented in a beginner-friendly order and begin with hands-on results before theory.
Learn computer graphics from scratch and for free. The usual beloved lessons. A blog, some private courses, and an upcoming book project! BLOG For Angry Nerds We’ve been missing a…
Sources
- Learn computer graphics from scratch and for free
- Your Starting Point!
- Computer Graphics Resouces ·
- Introduction to Texturing
Related posts
- Two-thirds of Americans Expect AI to Cause Major Human Harm Within 20 Years
- Hacker News Reimagined Using Prime Numbers to Index and Order Posts
- tc-ematch(8): extended matches for ‘basic’, ‘cgroup’ and ‘flow’ filters